Frederic Edwin Church
(1826 - 1900) 

Frederic Edwin Church  was an American landscape painter born in Hartford, Connecticut. He was a central figure in the Hudson River School of American landscape painters, best known for painting large landscapes, often depicting mountains, waterfalls, and sunsets. Church's paintings put an emphasis on realistic detail, dramatic light, and panoramic views. He debuted some of his major works in single-painting exhibitions to a paying and often enthralled audience in New York City. In his prime, he was one of the most famous painters in the United States.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic_Edwin_Church

Cotopaxi
1862
Oil on canvas
121.9 × 215.9 cm
Detroit Institute of Arts
https://dia.org/collection/cotopaxi-37907

 The painting depicts Cotopaxi, an active volcano that is also the second highest peak in modern-day Ecuador, spewing smoke and ash across a colorful sunrise. The work was commissioned by well-known philanthropist and collector James Lenox and was first exhibited in New York City in 1863.